Hay-stacker.



H. W. CHILDERS.

HAY STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1917. I 1,229,031 Patented June 5, 1917.

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H. W. CHILDERS.

HAY STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1917.

Patented June 5, '1917 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. W. CHILDERS.

HAY STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 19H.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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H.'W. CHILDERS.

HAY STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|, 1917.

1 ,229,03 1 Patented June 5, 1917.

imme/whom J Li WC/Zz'toera Mfazw' 1 W HERBERT W. GHILDERS, OF GREAT BEND, KANSAS.

HAY-STAGKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1917.

Application filed February 21, 1917. Serial No. 150,128.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. CHILDERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Great Bend, in the county of Barton and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hay-Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hay stackers of that general class or type in which a carriage having a load supporting platform connected therewith is arranged to move on an inclined track, means being provided for tilting the platform when the high end of the track is reached so as to discharge the load on the ground or on the stack, as the latter is being gradually formed.

The invention has for its object to produce a hay stacker of simple and improved construction in which the inclination and elevation of the track may be varied to provide for the elevation of the load to a greater or less height, thereby saving the power required for elevating the load as long as the load is to be discharged at a relatively low elevation.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the frame structure for the purpose of making provision for varying the inclination of the track and also to provide improved means for adjusting the frame structure and for retaining the adjusted parts at various adjustments.

A. further object of the invention is tosimplify andimprove the construction of the 3 carriage and platform and the means for tilting the latter.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention isbetter understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, I Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hay stacker constructed'in accordance with the invention, showing the carriage and platform lowered in position to receive aload.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the carriage and platform raised to a position for discharging the load. 2

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, and with dotted lines showing a different adjustment of the frame structure and track.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation showing the carriage raised and the platform tilted to discharging position.

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the carriage removed from the track and showing also a small portion of the tiltable platform.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the line 7- -7 in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view of the lower end of one of the track bars taken on the line 8-8 in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the upper portion of the stacker.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Theframe structure of the improved machine includes a pair of sills or runners and a pair of uprights 16 that rise from the rear ends of the sills, said sills and uprights being connected together and spaced apart by cross bars 17. Obliquelydisposed braces 18 are provided to reinforce the sills, and in clined braces 19 connect the sills with the uprightsto assist in sustaining the latter in an upright position. The sills 17 are provided near their forward ends with horizontal slots 20, and the uprights 16 are provided near their upper ends with vertical slots 21.

Track rails 22 are provided, the same extending from near the forward ends of the sills to near the upper ends of the uprights, said track rails being adjustably connected with the sills and with the uprights to permil: the inclination thereof to be varied. Each track rail consists of a tubular metallic bar, preferably of square or rectangular cross section and having a slot 23 in one side thereof. The low ends of the track railsare provided with bolts 24' extending through and guided in theslots in the sills, said bolts being provided with tightening nuts 25 and Washers 26. The high ends of the track rails are provided with anti-friction members 27 in the slots 21 of the uprights. It will be seen that by adjusting the track rails withrespect to the slots 20 and 21 in the sills 15 and uprights 16, respectively, the

' means to be hereinafter described has been inclination of said track rails may be varied, and the high ends thereof may be arranged at various elevations.

' By tightening the nuts on the bolts 24 the track rails will be frictionally maintained in adjusted position, but additional provided to positively lock the track rails against displacement under the pressure of the load supported thereby. V i

Secured on the under faces of the track rails near their high ends and to the rearward of the uprights 16 are bearings 28 for;

a shaft or rod 29 which is provided near the ends thereof with depending guide rods 30 that are guided through brackets 31 on the uprights 16. Connected with the shaft 29 near the ends thereof are flexible elements 32, said elements being guided over pulleys 33 near the upper ends of the uprights 16, theother ends of said flexible elements being connected with a drum shaft 34 having a crank 35 whereby it may be rotated. It will be seen that by rotating the drum shaft, the high ends of the track rails may be raisedor lowered, assumingthat the nuts 25 on the bolts 24 have been loosened so as Y to permit said bolts to travel freely in the slots 20 of the sills in like manner as the anti-friction members 27 travel in the vertical slots 21 of the uprights, it being evident that the weight of the track rails will be sufficient to cause them to move downward and forward when the fiexible'elements are unwound from the drum shaft 34. The pulleys 33 at the upper ends of the uprights are mounted for rotation on spindles 36,

.each spindle having one end supported in shaft '29'316' provided at intervals with' the upright adjacent to theupper end of the slot 21, the other end of each'spindle being supported by means of a brace37 that ex-' tendsupwardly from a bracket 38 which is secured on the external face of the upright. This construction is resorted to in order that ample provision may be made for sustaining the weight of the track rails which rests largely on the pulleys 33 and which. latter, if inadequately supported, would be apt to give way under the load.

The guide rods 30 depending from the notches 39 adapted'tobeengaged bylatch members 40, said latchmembers being slidably supported with respect to the brackets 31 through which'the rods '30 are guided.

The latch members 40are located at or near the two ends of a slide 41. which is guided in keepers 42 on one of the cross bars '17, whereby the'uprights 16 are; connected and spaced apart. The slide 41 is actuatedin one direction by "a spring 43 so'as to force; the latch member: atone end thereof in engagement with one of the notched guide rods 30.; Theslide41 is twisted intermediate its ends at'44 to producel the second latch member 40 which is actuated by a spring 45, whereby it is forced 1n engage ment with the other notched guide rod 30. At one end of the slide 41 isformed a handle 46, whereby the slide and the latch membersv may be readily manipulated to move the latch members out of engagement with the" notched guide rods, thereby permitting'the gether and. spaced apart .by braces 49,

whereby the said main and auxiliaryaxles are sustained in parallel relation to each 7 other. The axle members 47 and 48 extend through. the slots 23 in the track rails 22, being provided with wheels 50 that are housed within the track rails. Mounted pivotally on the main axle 47 are head blocks 51 with each of which is connected an angle bar 52, said angle bar supporting a segmental bar 53'between. which and the angle bar the auxiliary axle 48 is included so that when the head blocks 51 swing about the axis of the main axle 47 the auxiliary axle 48 will engage the segmental bar 53.

The latter is connected with the head block.

51 by abrace 54. The angle bar 52 has an offset 55 and. a forward extension 56 provided with recesses 57. The angle bar 52 also has a portion that extends rearwardly of the segmental bar 53, saidrearwardly extending portion being joined with the rearward end of a brace barj58, said brace bar being "bolted to the under face of the segmental bar53, and the forward end of said brace bar being extended beneath the forward extension of the angle bar and connected therewith. The rearwardly extended portion 59'of the angle bar is joined with the rearwardly extending end portion of the brace 58' by means ofst ruts'60that combine therewith to form an unyielding truss or frame. 7

The. forwardly extended portions 56 of the angle bars. 52 connected withthe two head ,blocks51 afiord supporting members for the cross bars 61 of the platform Rsa-id cross bars being seated in the recesses 57 and secured by means ofJbolt-s 62 whichalso serveto connect the bracket portions 56 of i the angle bars 52 with the forward ends of the brace members 58. vThe platform fingers 63 are-bolted or otherwise secured on the cross b'arsi6l, and said'fingers 'as well as the under faces of the bracket portions 56, are provided on their under faces with bearings 6i supporting a rod or shaft 65. The platform arms 66 which extend upwardly sub stantially at right angles to the fingers are apertured at their lower endsfor the passage of the rod or shaft 65, the arms 66 being thus firmly secured at their lower ends. The arms 66 are connected serially by means of a cross bar 6'7,- and braces 68 are used at the two sides of the platform to connect the forwa-rdly extending fingers 63 with. the upwardly extending arms 66, thereby forming a platform of light and durable construction. It is obvious that additional braces and fastening means may be employed wherever desired or found advisable. The rear ward cross bar 61 of the platform is made of a length not exceeding the distance be tween the inner faces of the track rails be tween which said cross bar is positioned; the forward cross bar 67 may be of any desired length. The rod or shaft 65 is provided with wheels 69 which are preferably flanged and adapted to travel on the top faces of the track rails.

The track rails are provided at their upper extremities with caps or closures 70 to limit the upward movement of the carriage wheels and to prevent the latter from escaping from the tubular track rails. The lower extremities of the track rails are in like manner provided with caps or closures 71, but said closures 71 are provided with top faces having recesses 72 to receive the wheels 69 of the platform when the latter reaches the downward limit of its movement.

The rod or shaft 29 supported by the track rails near the upper ends thereof is provided with guide pulleys 7 3 adjacent to which the upper ends of the flexible hoisting elements or cables 7 1 are made fast by means-of hooks 75 or other convenient means. The hoisting elements are guided over guide pulleys 76 that are mounted for rotation on the main axle at of the carriage C between the braces 49 and the head blocks 51. The hoisting elements are then guided over the guide pulleys 73 and thence over additional guide pulleys '77 which may be mounted on one of the lowermost cross bars 17 of the frame struc ture, thus enabling the hoisting elements to A be conveniently connected at their low ends with an equalizer to which draft animals may be attached or with motive power of any description.

The braces 58 combine with the rearward extensions 59 of the angle bars 52 and the struts to form truss rods T that extend rearwardly with respect to the carriage and platform. The rearward ends of said truss members are connected by flexible elements, such as chains 7 8, with attaching elements, such as eyes 79, on one of the cross bars 17 of the frame structure which connect the sills 15 near the forward ends thereof, the function of said flexible elements being to tilt the platform to a load discharging position when the carriage reaches theupward limit of its movement, it being obvious that the said flexible elements are made of such length as to become tensioned at the proper time to perform the desired function.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed,- the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it apper tains. The construction of the improved device is simple and inexpensive, and it has been found to be thoroughly efficient for the purposes for which it is provided.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed as new, is v 1. In a hay stacker, a frame structure including horizontally slotted sills and vertically slotted uprights, inclined track rails having guide members guided in the slots of the sills and the uprights, a rod supported at the high ends of the track rails and having downwardly extending guide rods, brackets through which the guide rods are guided, a drum shaft supported on the uprights, and suitably guided flexible elements connecting the rod supported at the high ends of the track rails with the drum shaft.

2. In a hay stacker, a frame structure including horizontally slotted sills and vertically slotted uprights, inclined track rails having guide members guided in the slots of the sills and the uprights, a rod supported at the high ends of the track rails and having downwardly extending guide rods, brackets through which the guide rods are guided, a drum shaft supported on the uprights, and suitably guided flexible elements connecting the rodsupported at the high ends of the track rails with the drum shaft; and means whereby the guide rods may be locked against vertical movement to sustain the high ends of the track rails in adjusted position.

3. In a hay stacker, a frame structure including horizontally slotted sills and vertically slotted uprights, inclined track rails having guide members guided in the slots of the sills and the uprights, a rod supported at the high ends of the track rails and having downwardly extending guide rods, brackets through which the guide rods are guided, a drum shaft supported on'the uprights, and suitably guided flexible elements connecting the rod supported at the high ends of the track rails with the drum shaft; and means whereby the guide rods may be locked against vertical movement to sustain the high ends of the track rails in adjusted position, said means including notches formed in the guide rods and aslide having latch members engaging the notches. I

4; In. a hay stacker, a frame structure in .cluding horizontally slotted sills and vertically slotted uprights, inclined track rails having guide members guided in thelslots' high ends of the track rails for hoisting said rails, keepers on the cross brace, a spring actuated slide guided on said'keepers and having atone end alatch member engaging the notches in one-of the guide rods, said slide being twisted, intermediate its ends to produce a second latch member, and spring means actuating, said second latch member in the direction of the second guide rod to engage the notches therein.

5. In a hay stacker, a suitable frame structure having inclined track rails, said track rails being of tubular construction and provided with slots, a carriage com- 7 arisin a main'axle and an auxiliar axle said axles being connected together and spaced apart in parallel relation and terminally extended through the slots in the track rails, wheels on therespective axles housed within the track rails, head blocks pivoted on the mam axle, anda platform' structure mounted on the head blocks.

6. In a hay stacker, a frame structure having inclined track rails, and means for varying the inclination thereof including a horizontal rod carried by the high ends of thetrack rails and hoisting means connected tlierewith,"said track rails being. of tubu- I lar construction and provided with slots,

in combination with a carriage comprising a main axle and an auxihary axle connected together and spaced apart in parallel relation, said axles being terminally extended through the slotsin the track rails andrpro- 'vided with wheels housed therein, and said main axle being provided with flangedpulleys, flexible hoisting elements terminally attached to the horizontal rod carried by the high ends of the track rails and adjustable therewith, said [flexible elements being guided over the pulleys on the main axle ofthe carriage, pulleys on the'horizontal rod over which said hoisting elements coming from the carriage are guided,

and additional guide elements on the lower part of the frame structure over which the hoisting elements are guided prior to the attachment of power.

7.'In a 'hay' stacker, a frame structure having inclined trackrails of tubular form and provided with slots, a carriage comprising a main axle and an auxiliary axle connected together and spaced apart in parallel relation, said axles being terminally extended through the slotsin the trackrails and provided with wheels housed therein, head blocks pivoted on the main axle, a platform supported by the head blocks, arms extending rearwardly with respect to the head blocks, hoisting means for elevating the carriage over the inclined track rails, and flexible elements connecting the rearwardly extending arms with the frame structureto tilt the platform.

8. In a hay stacker of the class described, I

a carriage comprising main and auxiliary axles, head blocks pivoted on the main axle, angle bars secured on the head blocks and having forward extensions forming brackets provided with recesses, said angle bars being also provided with rearwardly extended portions, segmental members connected with the angle bars and including the auxiliary axle of the carriage, braces connecting the head blocks with the segmental members and constituting stop;members to limit the swinging movement of the head blocks, brace bars bolted on the undersides of the segmental members and having portiqns extending fonwardly beneath' the bracket portions of the angle bars and other portions extended rearwardly and connected with the rearwardly extended portions of the angle bars, struts connected with said rearwardly extended portions of the angle bars and braces to formtrussed arms, a'

platform structure supported on the bracket 71 means for; said carriage, and'fiexible ele 'ments connecting the trussed arms wlth the 7 frame structure to tilt. the platform.

' I In testimony wherof I aflix my signature.

' HERBERT w. endures Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofrl at'entsp 7 Washington, D. C. 

